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Connecticut Urban Forest Council Individual Awards
1992-2009

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2006 Connecticut Urban Forest Council Awards              

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Individual and Community Awards                 See Table of Previous Winners

Community: Town of Monroe    to see photo

The Town of Monroe has been presented with the 2006 Community Award in recognition of the town's strong efforts to advance municipal tree care and management of the town's natural resources, including its forest resources.  The Town's Tree Warden and its Public Works Department have taken solid steps forward so as to best maintain the public's trees along the streets, in the parks and on town-owned land.  The Town has also added more land to Webb Park, the town's premier open space park, in order to increase the number of forested acres.  The Town is in the process of developing a management plan for Webb Park.  Monroe's efforts have paid off with Monroe also being declared a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

To learn more about Monroe, please visit - www.monroect.org

Volunteer Organization: Norwalk Tree Alliance     to see photo

The Norwalk Tree Alliance is a key reason why Norwalk has one of the most honored urban forest programs, not just in Connecticut, but in the nation.  The list of accomplishments by the NTA is many - they have undertaken to complete a street tree inventory of all of the public trees in Norwalk, they have launched several notable neighborhood tree projects, they have worked closely with the City so that there is a real integration between the City's efforts and that of local communities, including volunteers, and they have applied for and received numerous grants to achieve many note-worthy projects throughout the City.  Throughout, creativity has been the hallmark of NTA's efforts, which has in turn translated into real benefits for the citizens of Norwalk.

Two accomplishments deserve special mention.  The first is the completion and dedication of the Rosa Parks Arboretum adjacent to the Columbus Magnet School.  21 trees were planted as a part of this arboretum, which is intended to serve as an educational resource for the entire city, as well as a source of neighborhood pride and social interaction.  Norwalk Tree Alliance applied for, and received, a 2006 NUCFAC grant, to develop an automated system to allow rapid determination of the GPS coordinates of trees in a street tree survey.

The Norwalk Tree Alliance was also a major factor behind the City of Norwalk receiving the 2006 Award of Excellence in Urban Forestry by a small city, presented by the Home Depot Foundation and the US Conference of Mayors.  For this, NTA received a check from the Home Depot Foundation in the amount of $75,000. 

To learn more about the Norwalk Tree Alliance, please visit their web site - www.norwalktreealliance.org.

Professional: Irwin Langewisch     to see photo

The City of Milford is also a Connecticut community with a much recognized urban forestry program that is strongly based on cooperation between the City and the community, and especially, the efforts of key City personnel and a committed volunteer workforce.  As one of the City's most critical contributors to this urban forestry effort, Irwin has been there from the beginning.  He has served as Milford's Tree Warden in exemplary fashion, but he has also done much more, donating countless hours of his time as well as the fruits of deep knowledge of trees and tree care, in a way that has created a success that is much more than simply a sum of its parts.

In other words, Irwin has been one of the foundation building blocks upon which Milford has built its program.  He was there throughout the initiation and completion of the volunteer street tree inventory, he contributed extensive advice on planting projects, he taught many in the City, both within government and in the community, the specifics of tree care, tree selection and tree planting, and he worked to establish the City's tree nursery.  

Irwin has been a steadfast voice for trees, even when that has meant taking a difficult stance against a prevailing position on the part of the administration.  Irwin has stepped down as Tree Warden, but his efforts on behalf of Milford's trees and Milford's tree program continues to be strong, and well-respected by all.

To learn more about Milford's program, please visit their web site - www.milfordtrees.blogspot.com.

Leadership: Connecticut College    to see photo

Connecticut College has been a vital partner to the urban forestry program in the state.  Many local urban forestry programs have the College to thank for the training provided on its grounds through the Meskwaka volunteer tree training program.  While at the College, these erstwhile tree volunteers can see what results when the urban forest based on planning, when trees are well-maintained and when the resource is valued by the community as a whole. 

Connecticut College is presented with this award because of the leadership the school has demonstrated as an institution.  In this regards, Connecticut College can serve as a model for other state institutions that own property and that have the potential to influence large numbers of people as to the benefits of trees and the urban forest.  The grounds of the college and of its adjacent arboretum deserve the attention of other institutions, who may follow Connecticut College's lead, and develop programs that are similar and might have similar influence.

To learn more about Connecticut College's campus and arboretum, please visit - www.conncoll.edu/ccrec/greennet/arbo.

Vinnie Mangiacopra, Economic Development Director from Monroe, is presented with the Community Award by Alan Carey Return to top

Members of the Norwalk Tree Alliance Receive the Volunteer Award from Chris Donnelly at NTA's New Headquarter Building Return to top

Irwin Langewisch Receives the Professional Award from Bob Ricard Return to top

Glenn Dreyer Receives the Leadership Award on Behalf of Connecticut College Return to top